Giles papers, 9 May 1914-13 May 1919 / Arthur Clyde Giles - Page 219

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[Page 219]

a few bombs behind the line. Well they came out & we joined up again. They were only out a week when we were told we were going in again & had one of the toughest positions on the Western Front to take. We were taken up as close to the line as possible by motor lorries two days before we were to go over the top. Started for the line by motor on the Monday. Camped all Monday night then on Tuesday started to march up closer. Well just after we started a couple of German planes came over &amp: started bombing us they dropped a few Incinary bombs. These are filled with phooferous &amp: when they explode they blaze up. They light the country for some distance the country for some around. Needless to say we scattered. It was a case of the nearest shell hole will do me. We were expecting Fritz to turn his artillery on us as we were under observation from his line. You see he held the highest ridges about us. This is at Ypres.That was what we were after. Well surely enough the artillery did come just about wiped out our first two companies so never saw such a mix up. Men horses &amp: mules all laying in a tangled mess. The road lined with wounded. Well eventually we reached our next camp a couple of miles behind our front line each section commander was given a shell hole to dig himself &amp: section as well as possible. We had to get out

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